So busy that I haven’t had time to clean my apartment, and as further procrastination to complete said task I have decided to write a blog post.

These last few months have been incredible, yet I probably faced some of my most challenging moments since my last post. I don’t know if it’s Korea, or me, or just human nature, but damn, I keep having highs and lows with constants in between. I’m going to go with it’s just human nature, cause why not?

I’ve found myself in moments of weakness, feeling overly exposed and vulnerable, not sure if I was liking the way I was behaving and interacting with others…. to pulling myself together, getting over it and being accepting of my circumstances, my luck, and myself. That’s sort of it wrapped up neatly in a nutshell… overall I’m feeling like I’m back to being in a good place and I have my very supportive friends, near and far, to thank for that (and my momma).

Recently, I’ve been so grateful and appreciative of the people I’ve come across during this adventure. Some of them are just spectacular people, whom I cherish and am just happy knowing they exist in this world, spreading their wonderful energy and good vibrations to the people they come in contact with throughout their individual journeys. Half of them probably don’t even have an inkling that they mean something special to me, but no matter, tonight I raise my glass to you gorgeous people.

I feel overly filled with joy tonight, for no particular reason, and I can’t bring myself to focus on a specific theme for this post, so I will just post a bunch of pictures from my weekends these last few months. Hope you enjoy!

Holi Hai Festival in Busan

Edel and I before the festivities began.

My buddy Ian, after the festivities began.

Went out to eat after, so many people were staring. It was fun.

Then I stayed local for a weekend **shocker! I know** :

Tried to go to a wheel throwing class but they only had coiling

I did a hike at Seoraksan with my friends Zuri and Jason… unfortunately it was during this time that I smacked the open lens of my camera on a rock and it has been out of order ever since. I guess it’s time to invest in a DSLR….

Seoraksan – 3rd highest peak in Korea!

Neat hiking trail I found right near my apartment, has some amazing views of the ocean, mountains and my town.

Rock climbing wall!! This is practically right around the corner from me! Unfortunately, it’s abandoned… therefore, unsafe to use.

The weekend I stayed local I also had my co-teacher’s over for dinner and I made the most amazing and delicious hummus!

Hummus!

Then I went to a “Bullfighting Festival” which was really more like bull wrestling… I thought it would be filled with lots of energy and excitement… but it was sort of anti-climactic. Also I just don’t really like seeing animals fight/wrestle/race. Even when I went to a horse racing event once, it was fun because it was a novel experience and I have never been, but I was constantly wondering if the horses are okay and what kind of training they had to go through to be able to be race horses. I’m too much of a softy for that sort of thing.

Bullfighting

After Bullfighting we went to a wine cellar, that was cool.

My girl Sarah and I at dinner in Daegu over the Bull Fighting Festival weekend. Love her to pieces.

Next, I went to Seoul originally just for some shopping and such… but then I ended up meeting up with friends and going to the Lantern Festival in Seoul for Buddha’s Birthday.

Rhino

rawr

play that banjo… sitar?

dragon

Then I went to Ulleungdo Island, which isn’t too far from me. I also went to Dokdo Island which is highly controversial and very important in Korean culture. There’s a dispute on who owns it… Korea or Japan? It was fun to check out Dokdo, though our time there was very short and sweet.

Ulleungdo reminded me of the Philippines in small ways here and there and completely reignited my desire to travel and explore after my contract in Korea ends. There’s just this incredibly free and enlivening feeling that fully encompasses me when I travel. It’s so refreshing. Saturday was wonderful and sunny, but Sunday it was pouring rain. Since I was a kid I’ve always absolutely LOVED rain and water…. perhaps because it’s in constant movement and seems to be more alive than mountains and trees? Anyhow, our group went for a nice long walk in the pouring rain and I was just enthralled and such a happy little walker.

Sarah and I with the coastline of Ulleungdo behind us

And my last big traveling weekend was to Busan. I really enjoy Busan, whenever I’ve gone to visit I’ve always had a great time and I have a nice little group of friends there whom I adore. I think I may also partially be attracted to it because it’s similar to Los Angeles in some ways. It’s got the laid back vibe, right on the beach, tons of coffee shops and restaurants, shopping, hiking, and you can find classes like yoga there. If there was a soul mate city of mine in Korea, it would be Busan. I guess I really am an LA beach girl at heart. Who knew?

That weekend there was a Pirate Ship party, all the crazy waygooks (foreigners) dressed up as pirates and got to be loud and obnoxious on a ship…. we went for a little go around the harbor… probably to get us away from all the Koreans who would be annoyed with us.

Sarah and Mo – aren’t we precious?

Kyle and Ian – As of this time there is no known picture with all 3 of us looking normal at the same time. Great fellas though, I’m glad to have met them.

Last weekend I stayed mostly local (I consider going to Gangneung, a city two hours away from me, “local.”) There was a picnic in Yangyang with people from the surrounding towns, then I saw Iron Man 3 with Edel. Let me tell ya, I quite enjoyed it! Some pretty funny parts. Edel and I could barely handle how realistic the movie was.

This weekend I spontaneously decided to meet up with a group of people in Daegu (5 hours away, uuGhHuuGgh!) where we will spend a day at a lake and water park.

Right now I’m feeling overwhelmed planning things for my near and far future… including a trip to Thailand! There’s a lot of things going on right now though and I find myself often asking why it seems that all the little puzzle pieces of life never seem to fit quite perfectly together. I guess it’s what keeps things interesting though, eh?